How many loads are enough?

[Bake]

One load for your handgun and another for your carbine. Or do you load for your handgun first and hope it works in your carbine, or do you load for your carbine and hope it works in your handgun ? ? ?

[Rifletom]

You can load for both safely enough. Example: I load for .357 mag[handgun and lever gun], same bullet and same amount of powder, 2400.
Same with .45 Colt, again in handgun and lever gun using Unique or Red Dot. My loads for all are for desert plinking, not hunting, so, they are mid range loads. Hope this helps a bit.

[Mags]

I reload .45 colt for revolver, moderate loads to keep screws and dove tails from getting loose and falling out. I use those same loads in my 45 colt rifle.

[Steve51]

I only load upper end magnum hunting loads for my .357 and .44 magnum rifles. I can shoot the same loads in my Ruger Blackhawk .357 and my Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 magnum but I can't say they are pleasant to shoot in the revolvers. For normal plinking loads in the revolvers, I load milder mid range magnum loads or higher end .38 special and .44 special loads. I do not shoot these in the rifles.

My rifles are zeroed in at 100 yds with the upper end magnum loads. They may shoot about 1 1/2" high at 50 yds and a couple inches low at 125 yds. My eyes aren't good enough to shoot beyond that with iron sights.

[BrokenolMarine]

I'd say it just depends on whether you consider yourself a shooter who reload to shoot, a reloader who shoots to reload, or a little of both.

I tweeked my various loads until I found the ones that shot better than I could, and I was good with that. I load everything with the same powder.

My mentors on the other hand, loaded five rounds of each bullet profile with one grain increment over the recommended chart in the manual with two or three powders, for two or three bullets. Go to the range, group and chrongraph. Have breakfast and pour over the data... Start over with a new group of bullets after putting the data in binders.

BTW these guys are distinguished in all disciplines.

[JEBar]

historically I've believed that its best for me to practice with the same loads I hunt with ..... therefore, we only loaded the same big game hunting loads for our 44 Magnum rifle and revolver .... that load worked well in our former Ruger 44 Mag semi auto and our current Henry BBS really likes it ..... accordingly, it is still the only load we use in our Henry .... over time arthritic pain in my right hand forced me to drastically reduce the strength of the load for our Ruger Redhawk .... I haven't hunted in several years so developing a light load hasn't been an issue

[Bake]

BrokenolMarine,

Depending on who you talk to, I have been accused of shooting 200 to 300 rounds a week so that I could reload 200 or 300 rounds a week. I also see myself duplicating your mentor's technique I prefer to develop a good load for my handgun (based upon use) and a separate load (also based upon use) for my carbine and other specialty guns.

ATT, I have a large selection of bullets [.357] on hand: [133gr. {9mm}, 148 DEWC, 158 SWC, LRN, & HP, and 200gr. {358} all lead cast] and a large selection of jacketed bullets. My powder selection is equal to my bullet collection.

Right now, the state of California is anti-lead bullets , but I don't hunt so I'm OK shooting lead bullets on an indoor range now . . .